(This article is about the song. For the compilation album, see The Spirit of Radio: Greatest Hits 1974–1987.) "The Spirit of Radio" is a song released in 1980 by Canadian rock band Rush from their album Permanent Waves. The song's name was inspired by Toronto radio station CFNY's slogan. The song was significant in the growing popularity of the band. The band had grazed the UK Top 40 two years earlier with "Closer to the Heart", but when issued as a single in March 1980, "The Spirit of Radio" soon reached #13 on the UK singles chart. It remains their biggest UK hit to date (the 7" single was a 3:00 edited version which has never appeared on CD to date). In the US, the single peaked at #51 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980, and in 1998 a live version of the song reached #27 on the Mainstrea